Actually, Wade is the easiest to replace and upgrade, were it not for the fact that he's obviously untradeable due to sentimental reasons.

Bosh is basically the lynchpin to Miami's defensive scheme because he's so fast. He scored 0 points in game 7? Big deal, he held Danny Green to one lousy three. Bosh is very, very hard to replace. Miami isn't shopping Chris Bosh; Charlotte is doing what they do best, which is publicly begging.

Bosh got beaten up badly in the playoffs. He really gotten beating up all season by opposing bigs. (he gave up a PER of 17.1 to opposing bigs vs a 15 average, and was +1 defensively on/off) He came up with some big plays late in the final two games to his credit, but he was one of the reasons the team had so much difficulty in the final two series. Teams will start exploiting that extensively next season if the Heat can't add more size and move Bosh to PF regularily.

Personally I think Bosh is the easiest of the big 3 too replace, assuming Wade can ever be healthy again. There are plenty of bigs who do what he does. Not as efficiently on offense ofcourse, but definetely on defense, in the post and on the boards.

As for his contribution on D, there was a recent Zach Lowe article that describes Bosh's contribution. Basically, the need him because of the way they play D, but they could play a much easier or traditional form D if they replaced him.

it’s fair to wonder if the Heat might be better off swapping Bosh for a sub-elite facsimile and searching for puzzle piece role players on the cheap. Guys like Paul Millsap, Al Horford, David West, and Brandon Bass can hit midrange jumpers at elite rates for a fraction of Bosh’s annual salary. And if the Heat could somehow parlay Bosh (or Wade, really the more tradable guy from Miami’s theoretical perspective) into a legit rim protector and rebounder, they might be able to dial back the frantic nature of their hyper-aggressive defense a bit. That defense works very well on balance. The Heat just repeated as champions, and their flying athleticism smothered San Antonio’s precision passing attack in Miami’s four championship wins.

But that defense is also exhausting. The Heat in all three of their playoff runs have shown off-and-on signs of serious slippage in executing that defense — against Dallas in 2011, Boston last season, and both the Pacers and Spurs this season. Those teams are all very good, but Indiana this season was a mediocre offensive team, and the 2011-12 Celtics were one of the half-dozen worst scoring teams in the league. All of those teams deserve credit for periodically slicing up Miami’s high-risk defense, but the film shows a lot of very basic errors an amped-up Miami team doesn’t typically make — fatal ball-watching, miscommunication, lazy rotations, and traps that lack the Heat’s normal oomph. James is 28, Bosh is 29, and Wade is 31 with annual late-season injury issues. Finding a way to dial back the hyperactivity might be a good idea, and adding a more traditional paint presence would allow them to do that.

Everything will be fine as long as the world’s best player is in his prime, and that half-sentence works as both a defense for keeping the team together and a potential argument for at least thinking about trading Wade or Bosh as a way of maximizing available salary. If LeBron is this good, do they need two other stars — especially when the reliance on a nontraditional big man, Bosh, has shaped the helter-skelter style in which the Heat play defense?

Miami's D is good (9th overall) but not great, and will likely remain that way if Bosh is stuck at the C. Personally I believe everything is derived from how amazing Lebron is, not only offensively but defensively. He is simply so intelligent and verstatile. Strong and quick. How many players in this league can responsible for covering David West then Paul George? Can cover Tony Parker while offer rim protection from Tim Duncan and other bigs?

All that said, Bosh on the Raps? Wrong direction as far as I'm concerned, but assuming a team thats not looking to tank - if it was Bargs + Derozan for Bosh? I'd say go for it. (not likely to happen ofcourse)

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a very detailed person and I thought it was a foul, right from the time it occurred. And the look on his face WAS of shock and bewilderment. Then it seemed like, after surveying the floor and faces, that he realized that he was going to get away with it.

That exact play could occur at the end of the game, quarter, shot clock in game 1, 13, 54 or 82 and it wouldn't have been called a foul, it sure as hell wasn't going to be called a foul in Game 6. And if we want to point out fouls what about Splitter's moving block on that same play, or Duncan's illegal substitution at the end of the 4th?

The one thing I hate about basketball is it's the easiest sport to pretend refs made the wrong calls on and hold on to as a moral victory.

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a very detailed person and I thought it was a foul, right from the time it occurred. And the look on his face WAS of shock and bewilderment. Then it seemed like, after surveying the floor and faces, that he realized that he was going to get away with it.

I watched it again a couple of times tonight; I didn't see even a glance of a look of shock and bewilderment.

The #4 pick in this years draft. And the money Saving. Charlotte could theoretically take on Boshs entire contract while only sending back the pick. Thats gotta look pretty enticing, especially if it means they can draft someone like Noel or Alex Len to replace him.

And I'm not too sure how strongly Miami feels about Bosh' contributions to their Champtionship Run. He basically struggled the entire playoffs. Not to mention, of the Big 3, he's the easiest to replace, and upgrade.

Because Noel or Len are anywhere near Bosh in terms of ability? Miami wouldn't trade both of those players for Bosh.

If you listen to what Spolestra and the Heat have been saying for years, Bosh is a key component to what they do offensively and defensively. Basketball is more than just scoring. He's not the easiest to replace or upgrade because there are very few bigs in the league that are asked to do what the Heat ask him to do in their scheme.

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a very detailed person and I thought it was a foul, right from the time it occurred. And the look on his face WAS of shock and bewilderment. Then it seemed like, after surveying the floor and faces, that he realized that he was going to get away with it.

Soft Euro wrote:

I watched it again a couple of times tonight; I didn't see even a glance of a look of shock and bewilderment.

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a very detailed person and I thought it was a foul, right from the time it occurred. And the look on his face WAS of shock and bewilderment. Then it seemed like, after surveying the floor and faces, that he realized that he was going to get away with it.

Ok, after watching it a couple times on the link below I agree he didn't look shock. But how on earth can you look at that so many times and not think that was a foul? No matter what the situation was!

Not that I disagree but you wouldn't want a ref lynching in Miami would you? Game 6 had Ginobili getting mugged by 3 Heat guys on the way to the basket at the end of the game. If whistle were out of the pocket he would have got 2 shots to go ahead/win the game I believe.

Do you mean the play where Ginobilli traveled, then got stripped, and then generated contact after he lost the ball? They didn't call incidental, post-strip contact on Green against Lebron the previous play (or a couple of plays before, can't remember), so why would they call it at the other end? That's just consistent officiating.

Also, upon seeing the Phantom camera replays, it appears that Danny Green traveled on that 3-point attempt, on top of the Splitter moving screen.

And yes, I am a (bandwagon) Heat fan, in addition to being a Raptors fan. If you think those two are irreconcilable, think about how much frustration being a Raptors fan has caused in the last few years (at least), versus how much joy being a Miami fan brings. I don't owe ANY loyalty to these teams, especially when I'm not even in/from Toronto. I watch sports to enjoy myself and to hang out with friends who are also into the sport. I think people who use "bandwagon fan" as a derogatory term are just jaded that their team keeps causing them frustration, while some of us don't feel tied down to crappy teams (although I do really like the Raps, but I've learned to not care when they suck).

lol. good for the bobcats. of course if this was an idea by the greatest player of all time but the worst gm/basketball executive. rupaul with the heat has already been exposed that he's not and never will be "the man" to lead a franchise. he's just a good role player who's tall and can shoot jumpers. he's the weak link of the so-called big 3 (it's more of a dynamic duo). we saw how he was here: talented, but soft and has no heart.

Oh you enjoy watching a team now that their style of play is fun and because they include great players?? The hell is wrong with you, you should arbitrarily pick a team and stick with it forever because that's the code of sports!!

Cheer for your home team cause you're patriotic and cheer for anyone else who plays the way you like/respect/etc.

Oh you enjoy watching a team now that their style of play is fun and because they include great players?? The hell is wrong with you, you should arbitrarily pick a team and stick with it forever because that's the code of sports!!

Cheer for your home team cause you're patriotic and cheer for anyone else who plays the way you like/respect/etc.

When I cheered for the Pistons and now in the finals for the Spurs, it's only because I really liked those teams. Think you can call that bandwagon as well.

I'm probably a bandwagon fan of the Raptors as well. The problem is that the wagon is always derailing and the band is always playing off key.

Do you mean the play where Ginobilli traveled, then got stripped, and then generated contact after he lost the ball? They didn't call incidental, post-strip contact on Green against Lebron the previous play (or a couple of plays before, can't remember), so why would they call it at the other end? That's just consistent officiating.

Also, upon seeing the Phantom camera replays, it appears that Danny Green traveled on that 3-point attempt, on top of the Splitter moving screen.

And yes, I am a (bandwagon) Heat fan, in addition to being a Raptors fan. If you think those two are irreconcilable, think about how much frustration being a Raptors fan has caused in the last few years (at least), versus how much joy being a Miami fan brings. I don't owe ANY loyalty to these teams, especially when I'm not even in/from Toronto. I watch sports to enjoy myself and to hang out with friends who are also into the sport. I think people who use "bandwagon fan" as a derogatory term are just jaded that their team keeps causing them frustration, while some of us don't feel tied down to crappy teams (although I do really like the Raps, but I've learned to not care when they suck).

I cannot recall using the "bandwagon" term. But since you bring it up and have detailed your emotional attachment I will just note that you do not fit the typical profile of most visitors to the site (at least those who bother to comment). That said I dont understand your need to explain in any case.

Re the substance of my post and the point that may have eluded you is that the games were played in Miami and the 2 plays I mentioned if they occurred in San Antonio might well have been whistled as fouls. This is part of the NBA reffing modus operandi and one I dislike including just not calling fouls in the last seconds no matter the team. During the season the more established/good team tends to get the calls.

As an uninterested observer with no real horse in the race such details may not be of interest to you but then there are others more orthodox in their thinking about the game or have a definite preference.

San Antonio lost that series as a team. Miami won it because of Lebron. I suppose you shall change teams when Lebron moves on? Enjoy.

Bosh is a punching bag for a lot of fans and the media it seems but I'm pretty sure he's valued highly in Miami. He's not really the disaster there that we all love to let on - they just won their second straight title and are coming off one of the better seasons in NBA history after all. I don't think he's getting moved. Miami only has one more guaranteed season of Lebron and Wade is in the back nine of his career; they aren't going to trade Bosh for a rookie especially when so much of this year's draft appear to be projects.

And that's the other part of why I can't see this happening. The Heat also have to be mindful of creating the most appealing situation for LBJ to stay with when he can opt out next summer. You really think that them trading Bosh for Alex Len or whoever is going to make him want to re-commit?